This article was published on September 5, 2014

Moto Hint is a Bluetooth earbud that you can use to control your smartphone


Moto Hint is a Bluetooth earbud that you can use to control your smartphone

Alongside the announcements of a few new gadgets this season, Motorola introduced the Moto Hint, a Bluetooth earbud that will allow you to speak voice commands to your phone and third-party apps and receive Google Now responses.

The earbud, which fits snugly and inconspicuously in your ear, features buttonless design and is optimized for the new Moto X (although it will pair with any Android devices running version 4.3 and up).

To activate the earbud, simply say the prompt, “Listen up Moto Hint” or tap the touch capacitive ear piece, then speak your query. You can ask the Moto Hint to send a text message, call a contact or provide search responses from Google Now (such as “What is the weather” or “What’s the score for last night’s Yankees game”) and your phone will relay the answer into the ear piece.

This feature is particularly helpful for navigation, so you can search for directions while driving without ever having to touch the phone or look at the screen. Moto Hint feeds the direction right into the your ear; however, in our demo with Motorola, Android will automatically default direction requests to driving instructions. To get biking or walking directions, the user still has to manually select their preferred mode of transportation.

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When using the device with a Moto X, Moto Hint is also compatible with commands for third-party apps, such as “Post to Facebook.” The device comes with a carrying case that doubles as a charger.

The Moto Hint will be available in the US later this fall and retails for $149. It will come in a variety of textile and wood finishes and silver or black frames, which you can customize over on Motorola.com.

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